


Fall

by Nightshadow_of_Fernclan



Series: State chaos [9]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-14 03:47:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20594165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightshadow_of_Fernclan/pseuds/Nightshadow_of_Fernclan
Summary: Caleb somehow managed to get stuck in a tree, someone has to go up and get him.





	Fall

**Author's Note:**

> constructive criticism or comments are always welcome.

November, 1900

“So how are we going to get him down?” It was a valid question seeing as their little brother was stuck near the top of a large cypress tree. How Caleb managed to get that far up, River had no clue. River did know that they'd have to be careful as the branches by Caleb thinned dramatically and while the three story fall couldn't kill them it would be a painful recovery. Pain was nothing new to River so she decided to bite the bullet and volunteer.

“I'm the lightest out of all of us.” She said once again staring up the trunk of the tree.

“Are you sure?” Tex's voice showed no sign of surprise. He was use to River Putting herself in harm's way and in all honesty he just sounded tired. This was about the fifth 'emergency' they had had to deal with that day and it wasn't even noon. “Some of those branches won't hold even you. I'm surprised he got up that far without falling back down.” 

“I'm sure, the only others smaller than me are the younger kids and RI, I'm not putting anymore kids in trouble and who knows when RI will be back.” 

“Riv's got a point we can't risk sending any of our younger siblings up.” Addison's voice piped up. She had been rather silent the whole time.

“Why don't you go up?” Tex challenged. “You are smaller than River.”

“Shorter not lighter.” Addison pointed out. “I'm about forty pounds more heavy than her.” While this was happening Aaron had the hindsight to actually go and get a the longest rope he could find. River took it from him and started to climb the tree while Addison and Tex continued their little spat. It was only now that River realized she wasn't the best at tree climbing. She very nearly lost her grip more than once when she happened to misjudge the distance to the next branch. As expected the branches got thinner and thinner the closer to her little brother she got. It was becoming more and more clear that she wouldn't be able to get all the way up to Caleb. He would have to come down a bit on his own. 

“Caleb, I need you to listen to me.” The only response she got was a quiet whimper and River felt really sorry for the little brother. “When I tell you to I need you to let go.”

“No come get me.” Caleb was starting to panic. River was never good at dealing with emotional children. That was very much a Marybelle thing. 

“I can't the branches are too thin.” She would just have to hope he'd understand reason. “If I try we'll both fall.”

“Your crazy.” Then again he's six. River lacked patience in the best of situations, this kid was really trying that gram of patience. 

“Look either you do as I say or you fall trying to get yourself down. Your going to fall one way or another at least this way I have a chance to catch you.” A little harsh yes, but it seemed to do the trick. 

“Okay, tell me when.”

“On the count of three. One, two, three.” Caleb let go and River just barely managed to grab hold of his shirt. She tied the rope around her younger brother and began to lower him down. It seemed to be a painfully slow process and in the end he only ended up falling three feet at the end as the rope wouldn't reach all the way down. 

“Caleb go inside now and stay there.” She head Tex instruct the younger boy and took that to mean that the kid was okay and to start the slow climb down. Going down would undoubtedly be harder than going up. She couldn't really see where she was putting her feet and it was a recipe for disaster. 

That disaster can when River misplaced her foot and the branch snapped underneath her and she hadn't had her hand on another branch. She tried in vain to grab a hold of another branch on her way down. She was vaguely aware of pain shooting through her body as she hit the ground a moment before everything went black. 

River couldn't quite open her eyes or move any part of her body yet she became aware of her siblings talking around her. 

“She looks awful.” 

“Thanks for stating the obvious Aaron.” She heard Tex reply dryly. “Why don't we shove you off the roof and see who you feel after.” River was sure she heard a barely audible asshole before she heard Aaron stomp away. “Think we should more her?”

“No Tex, I thought we'd just leave her outside under a tree.” This time it was Addison's to be sarcastic. Then again with the day they'd had it was probably the only way they could keep functioning. Sometimes she really hated being a reign head. They had to deal the dumbest things at times. 

“You know what I mean.” She felt herself being picked up. “Come on let's get her inside, it's getting cold.” 

“Well this arm is certainly broken.” River swore Eric looked like he was going to kill her over her stupidly. Not really like he should after her arm would heal in a day or two max. All he'd have to do is set the bone. She also thought part of why he was ticked off was because her oh so wonderful siblings had waited until she woke up to fetch him. 

“Just set the dam bone.” She snapped. He did so and secured it so it wouldn't move. 

“I think I like you more when your drunk.” Eric stated plainly.

“So do I.” She relayed.

**Author's Note:**

> this was originally going to be part of bad blood and it might still be just from Aaron's POV instead of River's.


End file.
